Man allegedly fires 39 shots in house

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An Adams County man faces six charges after allegedly firing nearly 40 rounds in a residence near Reeder and then going to bed Saturday, authorities say.

No one was injured.

Arthur William Paul Sorby, who is in his early 40s, was arrested after shooting up the residence where he and two other people were living, Adams County Sheriff Gene Molbert said Monday.

Judge Zane Anderson set Sorby’s bond at $15,000 during a hearing Monday afternoon.

Sorby and a female resident were allegedly arguing over use of their boss’s vehicle when Sorby opened fire at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, Molbert said. A 16-year-old male was also at the residence, Molbert added.

The female barricaded herself in a bedroom, Molbert said.

“Shots were fired through and she said that he said, ‘open up the door or I’m going to shoot you in the head,’” Molbert said. “The juvenile was sleeping on a couch in the living room and shots were fired through that wall from the kitchen into the living room.”

The female got outside and left in the only working vehicle at the farm, Molbert said.

“She said that shots were fired out through a window over the pickup as she was driving away,” Molbert said. “After the shooting was done and she left, they went back to bed.”

Alcohol was a factor in the incident, he added.

Sorby’s weapon is believed to have been a rifle, but it has not been found, Molbert said.

“Somebody ditched it someplace and won’t tell us,” Molbert said. “But if it’s what it’s described as, you can load about 20 rounds in it at a time — a .22 semi-automatic. So it doesn’t take long to shoot it, as fast as you can pull the trigger and he’d only have to reload it once.”

The female drove to another farm and called authorities, Molbert said.

He called the Southwest Tactical Team to help and Sorby was arrested by about 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

“They pretty much entered and it was over,” Adams County State’s Attorney Aaron Roseland said. “There was no struggle or anything like that.”

Sorby was charged with six Class C felonies, according to his criminal complaint.

He faces three counts of reckless endangerment, two counts of terrorizing and one count of aggravated assault.

“A class C felony carries a maximum possible penalty of five years imprisonment, $5,000 or both,” Anderson said. “So in theory, you have the possibility of six times that penalty.”

Sorby is not allowed to have contact with the female or teenage victims.

“The defendant’s brother is listed as a victim as well for the reckless endangerment charge, but I’m not requiring no contact with him,” Roseland said.

In addition, Sorby must check in daily with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and can’t leave the state without written approval.

During Monday’s hearing, Sorby mostly gave yes and no answers and said he would apply for a court-appointed attorney to represent him.

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